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Licensing

Street trading is defined as the selling, exposing, or offering for sale of any article in the street. This includes food such as burgers, kebabs, doughnuts or other things such as household items and is covered by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. This means that any person who wishes to sell items from a trailer or stall in a specific street/location may require a street trading consent or licence from the council.

A 'street' includes any road, footpath or other area to which the public have access without payment.

Types of Street Trading

Some streets in the Huntingdonshire area are designated as:

  • a prohibited street, where trading is prohibited, or

  • a consent street where trading is prohibited without the council's consent, or

  • a licence street where trading is prohibited without a licence granted by the council.

Where a street is not designated, or the authority has not adopted Schedule 4, there is no statutory control of street trading.

However such trading may amount to wilful obstruction of a highway, (thus in breach of section137 of the Highways Act 1980), or may be in breach of a traffic regulation order made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Huntingdon - Market Square, Chequers Court and St Benedict's Court

St Ives - The Quay, The Waits and Sheep Market (other than Mondays and Fridays) The Broadway, Market Hill, Bridge Street and Crown Street

St Neots - Market Square

Ramsey - Great Whyte between the junctions with Little Whyte and New Street

Huntingdon

  • Castle Moat Road

  • Walden Road

  • St. John’s Street

  • Cromwell Walk, Brookside

  • Nursery Road

  • Riverside Road

  • High Street

  • St Mary's Street

  • The Walks East

  • Princes Street

  • Market Hill

  • All Saints Passage

  • Raitt's Passage

  • George Street (from its junction with Walden Road to its junction with High Street)

  • Royal Oak Passage

  • Ferrars Road (from its junction with St John's Street to its junction with High Street)

  • Ambury Road (from its junction with High Street to its junction with Cromwell Walk)

  • Grammar School Walk

  • St Germain Street

  • Chequers Way

  • Trinity Place

  • Hartford Road (from its junction with Nursery Road to its junction with High Street)

  • Montagu Road

  • The Brow

  • Euston Street

  • Ouse Walk

  • Victoria Square

  • Temple Close

  • Ingram Street

  • Wood Street

  • St Clement's Passage

  • Orchard Lane.

St Ives

  • Ramsey Road (from its junction with The Waits to its junction with North Road)

  • North Road

  • Globe Place

  • West Street

  • St George's Road

  • Crown Place

  • Merryland

  • East Street

  • The Pavement

  • Free Church Passage

  • Chapel Lane

  • Market Lane

  • Birt Lane

  • Wellington Street

  • Priory Road

  • New Road

  • Station Road

  • White Hart Lane

  • The Quadrant

  • Cromwell Place

  • Oliver Road

  • Market Road

  • Meadow Lane (from its junction with Cromwell Place to its junction with the bypass).

St Neots

  • High Street

  • River Terrace

  • St Neots Road (from its junction with the High Street to the River Bridge)

  • South Street

  • Brook Street

  • Church Street (from its junction with Brook Street to its junction with High Street)

  • Cambridge Street (from its junction with High Street to its junction with Cambridge Gardens)

  • Cambridge Gardens

  • East Street

  • Cressener Terrace

  • Shady Walk

  • Prospect Row

  • Huntingdon Street (from its junction with High Street to its junction with Bedford Street)

  • Russell Street

  • Tebbuts Road

  • New Street

  • Priory Road

  • West Street

  • Tan Yard

  • Bec Road

  • Priory Park

  • St Anselm Place

  • Priory Lane

  • The Priory.

Ramsey

  • High Street (from its junction with School Lane to Wood Lane)

  • Wood Lane (abutting Church Green)

  • Church Green

  • Little Whyte

  • New Road

  • Whytefield Road (from its junction with School Lane to its junction with Great Whyte)

  • School Lane.

There are several exemptions in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, Schedule 4:

  • trading as a pedlar

  • markets or fairs established by charter or other legislation

  • trunk road picnic areas provided under section 112 of the Highways Act 1980

  • trading as a news vendor (for example, The Big Issue)

  • trading as either a petrol station or as an area in a street adjoining a shop and used as part of the shop

  • selling, offering, or exposing things as a roundsman, for example a milkman

  • use for trading under Highways Act 1980 of an object or structure placed on or over highways - street cafes

  • operation of facilities under the Highways Act for refreshment or recreation

  • doing of anything authorised by regulations made under Police Factories Act 1916 (street collections).

We consider a number of factors when we receive an application for street trading:

  • where there might be a risk to public safety because of causing an obstruction or unhygienic conditions

  • where there might be a risk to public order

  • where there might be a risk of public nuisance or annoyance because of noise, odour, litter or similar

  • whether planning permission is needed or has been given

  • appearance of the stall, vehicle or unit

  • and any relevant registrations for food businesses.

We also consider the location of street trading and prevent the use of locations in close proximity to:

  • a place of worship

  • a place of education

  • a place of healthcare

  • a place cultural or historical significance

  • residential properties

  • businesses offering the same goods or services

  • or may undermine the safety and convenience of the public or road users.

A licence/consent cannot be issued to anyone under the age of 17.

If your trading requires consent from the council, you will need to submit an application to us and provide supporting documentation.

You can make an application by downloading an application form.

  1. Photograph of the front/sides/rear of vehicle/stall

  2. A fully completed and signed Street Trading Application form

  3. A plan illustrating the exact area proposed with a red line to identify the site boundary

  4. Documents to establish your identity

  5. Written permission from the landowner if not on the highway

  6. Evidence of having registered as a food business

  7. Gas safety certificate

  8. A copy of your public liability insurance for a minimum of £5,000,000

  9. Application fee

In addition, if you are planning to use a motorised catering unit you will also need to provide:

  1. Vehicle registration certificate

  2. Proof of MOT

  3. Proof of vehicle insurance - specifically business use

  4. Driving licence for all prospective drivers

An application will be subject to a 28-day consultation and we will consult with the police, environmental health, planning, district councillors, town/parish councils, and highways at Cambridgeshire County Council.  We may also consult with  nearby residents or businesses.

We will not begin to consider an application unless all the relevant documentation is sent in with the application form.

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Type Amount
Street Trading Consent - 1 day £62.50
Street Trading Consent - 1 month £232.45
Street Trading Consent - 6 months £1,274.75
Street Trading Consent - 1 year £1,996
Street Trading Consent - Seasonal (3 years) £646.50
Street Trading Licence - 1 year £1,794.70

A licence or consent will last a maximum period of one year. It is your responsibility to ensure you re-apply in sufficient time before the expiry of your licence/consent, if you wish to continue trading.

When issuing a licence/consent, the council may apply such conditions as it considers reasonably necessary. Conditions will obviously vary according to the circumstances of each case.